Extraordinary Art Dealers

Extraordinary Art Dealers brings together 30 essays on the history of art dealing, from the eighteenth century to the modern period, distilled into 30 figures and their varied stories. From connoisseur-dealers – figures posing as ‘cultural architects’ with the expertise and authority to demarcate aesthetic taste – to commercially-driven salespeople and profiteering opportunists. In-between, there are stories of exceptional talent and creativity, passion, idealism, cultural respectability and occasional moral corruption, revealing the fragmented and multifaceted psychology of the art dealer. By delving into the past, exploring the profession of art dealing as continually evolving in parallel with the changing positioning of the role of art in society, this publication sheds light on the mechanics of dealing today – from the artist-centric approach, to the economically-driven and personality-motivated. Organised into six chapters, this illustrated publication offers insight into a topic often sidelined in discussions of art history, revealing the significant role art dealers have played in cultivating the canon of art as we know it – perfect for the cultural junkies, fine art and art history students, artists and aspiring or existing art dealers.